Under the sign of Virgo

The medieval Woman, in her role as wife, is the protagonist of four different scenes out of the twelve months of the Main Fountain carved in 1278 by Giovanni and Nicola Pisano. There is no doubt of her identity as uxor (wife) because the Latin word is clearly written in letters above each of the four panels representing the ladies of January, April, May and August.

In the scenes ofApril and May, carved on the lower basin, two young women are taking on the ideal role of the bride.
We meet the following figure of wife in August, where she looks more aged, in perfect accord with the passing of time and season.
The lady of August, a flowered and matured woman, represents an exemplary woman playing a practical and productive role in the medieval society: husband and wife are gathering figs from the big tree that unites the two panels, a scene that testiefies how social and domestic duties of a medieval woman included the work in the fields.
Interesting is to note that even the respective zodiac sign of Virgo, carved in the upper left-hand corner of the right panel, symbolizes labor and productivity.

The lady is riding followed by her husband

The month of January on the Main Fountain of Perugia represents the time of changeover from the old to the new year, a time well represented by the portrait of the respective figure of wife.

The two panels representing January are the first two reliefs carved by Pisano for the “cycle of the months” . Under the zodiac sign of Aquarius, we see an old well-dressed man warming himself near a fire.
In front of the man is sitting his wife: an old lady bearing bread in one hand, and a jug of wine in the other.
These reliefs seem to underline the importance of the medieval woman in the domestic life: we know that she became the administrator of the home (domus) when her husband died, and we know that she collaborated and watched over the daily activities of the home and family when the husband was busy.

The scene of January shows parallels with the ancient religious Roman calendar: the male figure could easily represent the god Janus (from whom the name January derives), often depicted as two-faced and considered the god of gates and change.
A legend says that Janus married Juturna. She was a nymph of fountains, wells and springs!
Mother of Fons, the roman god of springs, Juturna was also known to have supported her brother Turno against Aeneas.
She had the power to create water out of nothing and she was celebrated in Rome on January 11 , where water games were held in her honor in the Campo Marzio.
In the roman square Largo di Torre Argentina there are preserved the remains of a temple dedicated to this deity.
There is a pool considered to have healing properties in the Roman forum, near the Temple of Vesta, that was called Lacus Juturnae and was dedicated to this nymph, married to Janus.